First Arab Journalists Conference - Kuwait, February 1965

"This event draws significance from the fact that it is the first of its nature ever to take place in the history of the Arab Press" (HE Sheikh Sabah al Ahmad al Sabah, p3). Original printed wraps 16x23cm. 37pp English and 37pp Arabic text, with b/w photo of the Conference to the centre pages, and Conference Crest in English and Arabic with "Freedom and Responsibility" motto. Covers good, marked and worn; interiors very good, lightly creased to corners. Extremely rare, with Worldcat locating only 2 institutions (National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco; Minnesota University). Not recorded on Library Hub. The Arab Journalists Union was established in Baghdad in 1964 to oppose Zionist occupation; support non-Aligned policy and international peace; promote cooperation with organisations, progressive movements in the Arab region and the world; and support and defend press and journalists' freedom and rights. It was one of the first Arab non-governmental organisations of its kind, after the Arab Writers Union was formed in Damascus in 1954 (reference: C. Fatah, The Arab satellite and the television news and program exchange between Arab countries, London: City University, 1989: 95-97). Its first Conference was convened by Secretary General Sabri Abul Majd to address subjects relevant to pan-Arab unity "at this serious stage of Arab struggle" (p13), and to strengthening Arab journalism. It was hosted by the Kuwait Government during 8-13 Feb 1965, with speeches reproduced here by Heir-Apparent and Prime Minister HH Sheikh Sabah al Salem Al Sabah, Foreign Minister and Acting Minister of Guidance and Information HE Sheikh Sabah al Ahmad al Sabah, and the Head of the Kuwaiti delegation Mohammad M. Al-Saleh. It was attended by journalists from Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and the Yemen Arab Republic. High among the regional issues were Palestine, South Arabia, the Arabian Gulf and Oman, Yemen, the Common Arab Market and economic unity; Arabisation of the Arab west; and anti-colonialism. The Conference encouraged the world press to send missions to the battle fronts in the "Occupied South", "to smash the wall of silence which the British imperialism tries to build between a revolting people and the world public opinion" (p19). On promoting Arab journalism, the Conference made recommendations for removing obstructions to newspapers, enhanced newspaper distribution, entry permits for journalists, exchange of Arab papers, a training institute, working hours, establishing press agencies, advertising, etc.…